Multiple-Rate Testing

Lecture 5b – Fiki Hidayat, M.Eng

 Introduction
• The drawdown testing and analysis methods require a constant flow.
• It is often impractical or impossible to maintain a constant rate long
enough to complete a drawdown test.
• A multiple-rate test may range from one with an uncontrolled, variable
rate, to one with a series of constant rates, to testing at constant BHP
with a continuously changing flow rate.
• Accurate flow rate and pressure measurements are essential for the
successful analysis of any transient well test.
• Multiple-rate testing has the advantage of providing transient test data
while production continues.
• It tends to minimize changes in wellbore storage coefficient and phase
segregation (humping) effects
 General Multiple-Rate Test Analysis Technique
Although flow rate may change continuously, it is treated
as a series of discrete constant rates for analysis
purposes.
𝑃𝑖 −𝑃𝑤𝑓 𝑁 (𝑞𝑗 −𝑞𝑗−1 )
= 𝑚′ 𝑗=1 log 𝑡 − 𝑡𝑗−1 + 𝑏 ′ …(Eq.1)
𝑞𝑁 𝑞𝑁
162.6𝐵𝜇
𝑚′ = , …..(Eq.2)
𝑘ℎ
and intercept
𝑘
𝑏′ = 𝑚′ log 2 − 3.2275 + 0.86859𝑠 ……..(Eq.3)
∅𝜇𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤
Multiple-rate transient test data should appear as a
straight line when plotted as
Schematic representation of a variable production-rate schedule
𝑃𝑖 −𝑃𝑤𝑓 𝑁 𝑞𝑗 −𝑞𝑗−1
vs 𝑗=1 log 𝑡 − 𝑡𝑗−1
𝑞𝑁 𝑞𝑁
General Multiple-Rate Test Analysis Technique
• Once the data plot is made, the straight-line slope and intercept are
measured.
• Permeability and skin factor are estimated from the slope and
intercept data.
162.6𝐵𝜇
•𝑘= ……(Eq.4)
𝑚′ ℎ
𝑏′ 𝑘
• and 𝑠 = 1.1513 − log 2 + 3.2275 …….(Eq.5)
𝑚′ ∅𝜇𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤
• The analysis procedure is direct and simple, but the computations
required to make the data plot can be tedious.
• The analysis has the disadvantage that the initial reservoir pressure
(pi) and the entire flow-rate history must be known; frequently, they
are not.
General Multiple-Rate Test Analysis Technique
• The analysis technique may be modified in some situations so that pi
is not used.
• If the pressure is constant during a test and the rate declines, Eq.1
through 5 generally are not used; instead the technique of constant-
pressure flow testing is used.
• When flow-rate variation is a result of wellbore storage, a simplified
plotting method, which does not require use of superposition, may be
used. In this case, one plots (pi-pwf)/qsf vs log t.
• The result should be a straight line with slope m’ given by eq.2 and
intercept b’ given by eq.3.
 Example Problem of Multiple-Rate
Drawdown Test Analysis
• Example 4.1 from SPE Series – Advanced in
Well Test Analysis (1977)
Production rate during a 48-hr drawdown test
declined from 1,580 to 983 STB/D (Fig. 4.2). Rate
and pressure data appear in Table 4.1. reservoir
data are:
Pi= 2,906 psi µ = 0.6 cp
B = 1.27 rb/STB h = 40 ft
 Example Problem of Multiple-Rate
Drawdown Test Analysis
• Fig. 4.3 shows flowing bottom-hole pressure
(pwf) vs log of flow time (used for a constant-
rate drawdown test, neglects rate variations).
• Fig. 4.3 is used to estimate the permeability.
• By averaging the rate from first 12 hours of the
test, the straight line is generate from time 3
to 12 hours. We obtain the slope, m, is -160
psi/cycle and the permeability, k, is 28.1 md.
162.6(1,450)(1.27)(0.6)
𝑘=−
(−160)(40)
 Example Problem of Multiple-Rate
Drawdown Test Analysis
1 𝑁
• Fig. 4.4 is a plot of (pi-pwf)/qN vs 𝑗=1 𝑞𝑗 − 𝑞𝑗−1 log 𝑡 − 𝑡𝑗−1
𝑞𝑁

The slope of the 2nd line is greater

than that of the first, possibly
indicating transition to
Pseudosteady state, faulting, or a
decrease in permeability away
from the well.
Using the slope of the first
straight line, the permeability is
162.6(1.27)(0.6)
𝑘= = 13.6 𝑚𝑑
(0.227)(40)

The permeability computed from Fig. 4.3 is about 107% too high
Two-Rate Testing
• When a multiple-rate test consists of only two flow rates, both testing
and analysis are simplified.
• The two-rate test provides information about k and s while
production continues.
• Wellbore storage (WBS) effects are often thought to minimized or
eliminated by two-rate tests. In fact, WBS effects last just about the
same amount of time in a two-rate test as in a normal buildup,
drawdown, falloff, etc.
• However, a two-rate test often can be used to prevent a WBS
increase, thus providing an analyzable test when one otherwise might
not be possible.
Fig. 4.5 schematically illustrates the rate and Two-Rate Testing
pressure behavior for a two-rate flow test;
either a decreasing or increasing rate
sequence may be used.
′
𝑡1 + ∆𝑡 𝑞2
𝑃𝑤𝑓 = 𝑚1 log + log ∆𝑡 + 𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑡
∆𝑡 𝑞1
Eq. above assumes a constant flow rate, q1,
from time 0 to time t1, at the start of the test.
If, instead, the well was stabilized at rate q1,
then Eq. above is still a good approximation if
𝑉𝑝
t1 is calculated from 𝑡1 = 24 , where Vp is
𝑞1
the cumulative vol. produced since the last
rate stabilization.
 Two-Rate Test
𝑡1 +∆𝑡 𝑞2
• A graph of 𝑃𝑤𝑓 𝑣𝑠 log + log ∆𝑡 should
∆𝑡 𝑞1
be a straight line with slope m1’,
162.6𝑞1 𝜇𝐵
𝑚1′ =− , and intercept
𝑘ℎ
′ 𝑞2 𝑘
𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑡 = 𝑃𝑖 + 𝑚1 log 2 − 3.23 + 0.87𝑠 .
𝑞1 ∅𝜇𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤
Once the slope of the straight line is determined
from the data plot, reservoir permeability may be
162.6𝑞1 𝜇𝐵
estimated from k = − ′ .
𝑚1 ℎ

𝑞1 𝑃𝑤𝑓 ∆𝑡=0 −𝑃1ℎ𝑟 𝑘

Skin factor is estimated from 𝑠 = 1.151 − log + 3.23
𝑞1 −𝑞2 𝑚1′ 2
∅𝜇𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤
The intercept of the data plot may be used to estimate the false pressure,
∗
𝑞2
𝑃 = 𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑡 − 𝑃𝑤𝑓 ∆𝑡 = 0 − 𝑃1ℎ𝑟
𝑞1 − 𝑞2